虎门山酒店，凯悦未界系列酒店

The name of the restaurant means ‘highest compliment’ or ‘apex’. The pinnacle of cuisine, perched on the top floor of a soaring skyscraper, is the concept here. The precepts of apothéose are a trinity: respect for French culinary culture; a deep spirit of inquiry into Japanese ingredients; and devotion to knowing the present moment. Willingness to experiment, unconstrained by convention, ensures customers understand the joys of food.

The long table bears a close resemblance to the dining tables of European nobility. Dinner is served table d’hôte: guests gather around a single large table, sharing the joy of good food and conversation. Reading the mood of the era, Chef Hiroyasu Kawate serves up delicious food and eco-consciousness, actively incorporating plant-based ingredients. The choice of vegetarian dishes as main meals is a new twist. Whether vegetarian or vegan, the fare blazes a fresh trail in vegetable cuisine.

Applying experience in Paris and Copenhagen, the chef layers Scandinavian innovation on top of Japanese ingredients and the French classics. One embodiment of these influences is the foie gras torchon, an encounter between Kakegawa tea from the chef’s hometown and foie gras. Mushrooms delivered from producers in Shizuoka Prefecture are fermented and made into a soup. Modern French cuisine bursting with creativity, the chef’s roots and the bounty of food producers overlay each other to form a winning combination.

With his expertise refined at a Kyoto cuisine restaurant, the chef emphasises seasonal ingredients, showcasing his experience in dishes that highlight their finest qualities. He starts with delicacies and aemono appetisers designed to enhance the enjoyment of sake. The warm boiled wild mustard greens with deep-fried tofu is a Sasada speciality perfected over many years. All the dishes are carefully prepared with a focus on simplicity, showcasing the chef’s humble personality and dedication to his craft.

The food culture of Hong Kong is summed up in a simple proverb: Sik dak hai fuk: “Eating is a blessing.” The Hong Kong–born chef, known only as ‘Tommy’, delights in staging the daily ritual of gathering around the dinner table and merrily sharing a meal. He puts each ingredient on display as he cooks heaping platters of food and shares it out among his guests. Freshly roasted pork fillet and crispy chicken are flavours straight from his native city.

Sometimes our connections intervene to change our lives. Harutaka Takahashi’s mischievous youth in Asahikawa took a turn for the better when, through a tempura master who was a close friend of his potter uncle, he landed a job at Sukiyabashi Jiro. Like Ravel’s Bolero, sushi here is presented with a particular rhythm, building toward a crescendo of sweetness, sourness and temperature in harmony. Destiny is in the taste and texture of every piece of sushi at Harutaka.

Being originally located in the grounds of Seishoji Temple is why Daigo began serving shojin ryori. What Nomura inherits as the restaurant’s fourth-generation owner is shojin ryori for gracious service. Note that dried bonito flakes are used in the broth, so the meals are not completely vegetarian. The nutrition and flavour of the vegetables and the sukiya architecture put the mind at ease. Relax and enjoy this moment of tranquillity.